


Understanding Chaos

by AnnaStachia



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Gen, Learning to trust, follows canon events, forming friendships and bonds, tags to be added as they come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-12 04:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11729700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaStachia/pseuds/AnnaStachia
Summary: Satya Vaswani, confident in her belief in world order joins Overwatch to learn more about the sudden return. As she meets the ever growing members of the defunct organization and tries to maintain order in a world of ever growing tension and chaos she starts to learn that things aren't always as they seem. Sometimes up is down, wrong is right, and chaos means order. Can enemies become friends and trusted allies? Is the life she's always known a cover for something more sinister? Can Overwatch help save the world again, or is it doomed to fall like before?Or what started off as wanting a fic where Symmetra and Lucio slowly begin to trust each other as allies, turned into a giant monster of something beyond my control.





	Understanding Chaos

The walk from her own campus apartment to the main building took not quite five minutes. And from the entrance lobby to the meeting room anywhere between two and ten depending on the elevators and how busy it was. Today is Saturday and not very busy, so when Satya presses the button for the elevator it dings almost immediately and the doors slide open.

Satya likes elevators in much the same way she likes hard light. They run smoothly on a surprisingly simple system of pulleys and mechanisms. There are no surprises with elevators. Hit the button, wait (or don’t) for the car to arrive, select the floor, and exit. If following proper procedure and maintenance there is nothing to worry about. Mechanics and design could leave a little to be desired in some places, but at Vishkar there is no such thing. 

Of course this only applies to the machine itself, and not the people who ride it. 

“Hold the door!”

Looking up from the panel of floor numbers where she’d already selected the twenty-fifth floor (a good solid number) Satya hand immediately hits the ‘open door’ button. The pristine glass doors pause for the briefest of moments before sliding back open, allowing Amanda Carter to run in, collapsing against the back wall.” 

“Thanks, Vaswani.” She offers Satya an unperturbed grin, that doesn’t falter against Satya’s own lack of smile.

Amanda is new to the Utopaea office. She studied hard light manipulation in America and Europe, and seemed to impress even Mr. Vishkar himself according to Sanjay. She’s here to learn from the source and to see about efforts to open an office in the States. In the two weeks that she has been here, Amanda has made quite the impression on many individuals. Satya herself is not so fond of the boundly cheerful and optimistic blonde, but will admit that she does have a certain talent. Nothing like her of course. 

“It would be pointless to make you wait for another elevator when I imagine we’re going to the same place.” 

Amanda pulls a hair tie off her wrist, twisting her somewhat dishevelled hair into a ponytail. “Yep. Hey, did you hear though?” Her grin shifts into something a little more mischievous and almost nervous.

Gossip. Satya hates gossip, and unfortunately the American is full of it. Celebrity news, corporate rumors, wild conspiracy theories. Some of the younger architechs have become drawn to her tales, setting aside reason for cheap entertainment. Satya has to remind her own students at times to take Ms. Carter’s tales with a grain of salt and to always fact check before believing something. Facts cannot be changed. Facts are truth.

“About?” She replies thinly in an effort to be polite. Sanjay has reiterated how important Ms. Carter is to Vishkar’s progress and expansion. 

Satya watches the numbers flash by on the elevator display. Floor Seven. 

“Apparently Overwatch has been active lately. I’ve been reading the news, and some of its more, uh, colorful? Agents have been seen stepping into public incidents.”

Admittedly, despite her best efforts to remain unaffected by whatever Amanda had to say, this does catch her attention. Overwatch is a household name, a legendary name. Even she, like many children, had dreamed of becoming a member of Overwatch. Of course that all died when it became clear that the government agency no longer acted in the best interest of the people, but for themselves. 

It was one of the first times Satya could remember having had her dreams shattered. She had retreated to her room, frantically drawing new designs, barely bothering to speak to anyone. Her parents thought her reaction a bit extreme, and so did she eventually. It had been a silly childhood fantasy, but one she had thought to strive for once. It wasn’t terribly long after that she was accepted into the Archtech Academy and put any thoughts of Overwatch behind her. 

“That would be rather foolish. It would go against the Petras Act, and considered punishable by law.” Every law. Every country in the United World’s Union had signed the Petras Act, stopping Overwatch’s radical activity after the Swiss Headquarter’s incident once and for all. 

“Well, I guess they don’t care, because they sure are sticking themselves out there. The news this morning was all about them stopping a museum break in.”

The news. Satya hadn’t gotten to the news yet. Every morning was a carefully planned routine, and actually world news was not her first priority. Vishkar was. She would have gotten around to checking the holo-vids shortly if Sanjay hadn’t notified her of the meeting she is currently heading to. It bothers her that Amanda had heard it first as now the reason behind this meeting was beginning to become clear. 

“I bet that’s what this whole thing is about.” Amanda adds, as if Satya couldn’t figure that out.

“I suppose we will find out.” She says, careful not to grit her teeth. Floor seventeen flashes by. 

“I’m still kind of in shock after the news footage.”

Satya wishes she would stop talking. Many people seem to have this belief that you have to fill silence with something, and that something is often senseless chatter. More often than not Satya ends up tuning them out, focusing on her latest design or project in her head. 

Amanda’s words however seem to make it through. She hasn’t seen the footage yet, and she can feel her own disbelief. Overwatch. It should be dead gone, seven years buried. The idea makes Satya uncomfortable in a way she can’t quite put her finger on. She doesn’t like it. 

“I mean,” Amanda continues as they pass floor twenty, “What changed? I know things have been kind of chaotic lately, but they’ve always been chaotic. I don’t think chaos has ever stopped since the Omnics, and we just deal with it as best we can. Why suddenly bring Overwatch back?”

Satya wonder very suddenly if maybe Amanda Carter is not as smart as she’s fooled everyone else into thinking. As the American says this, it becomes very clear to Satya just why Overwatch has resurfaced. It’s almost so laughably obvious that it almost should have been predicted. Amanda claims to watch the news, but she must not pay attention.

Tensions are rising. All over the world something is building. Mondatta’s very public execution last month pushed something over the edge. Amanda is right about one thing, things have been chaotic lately, and that chaos is beginning to spread like a dry, summer wildfire. Raging across the planet and covering the rest of it in a smoky haze. 

Something has to be done about that. Someone has to tame the flames and bring the chaos back under control and order. Once upon a time that someone was Overwatch, stepping in to do what’s right for the people. 

Whether the people wanted it or not. 

A chill runs through Satya. The vision of the Calado corporate headquarters going up in flames surfaces and she closes her eyes against it. Now is not the time to think of Rio de Janeiro. The fire still spreads in her mind as the elevator dings, a light crystalline noise. Floor twenty-five. 

\--

They are certainly not the last to arrive as Satya is never late. Sanjay is there already, as is Hansh Vishkar sitting at the head of the table. Nishith Kapoor, his vice president stands beside him talking in quiet tones. Satya also recognizes Samar Bhatia one of their main investors. Also holo-projected in are faces and names she doesn’t recognize offhand, but given the nature of the situation she assumes they must be foreign directors and liaisons.

This is important. Very important. It makes Satya wonder why she’s there, or Amanda Carter. Satya might be the best architech Vishkar has, but she has very little say in the decision making that happens. And Amanda is essentially an intern. Perhaps, though, she is being considered a foreign liaison in this case.

A few more people shuffle in, and a three more holo-vids pop up before Director Vishkar calls the meeting to order and everyone takes an available seat. Satya sits next to Sanjay with a curious look. He gives her a reassuring smile, stopping just short of patting her arm. He was always good at remembering not to touch her.

The Director clears his throat as quiet conversation around the room falls silent. Satya is grateful for that. “I’m sure many of you are aware, at least in part as to why I’ve called you here today. It would seem that Overwatch has resumed activity in Europe.”

A murmur amongst the people ripples down the table.

“A bold move,” one woman suggests.

“Indeed” a man across the table agrees. His hands, though clasped together, fidget. Satya’s eye unfortunately catches it, and she wants to tell him to stop.

“Is it really a bad thing?” Amanda asks, and all eyes turn towards her. Satya’s look is pure poison. She is in no position to speak up at this meeting unless directly asked.

The words echo in her mind though. 

Is it really a bad thing?

“And who are you?” The woman inquires, using the holo projection to stare her down.

Director Vishkar opens his mouth to answer but Amanda beats him to it, standing. Satya wants to yank her back into her seat, but she’s sitting too far away. “Amanda Carter, American Liaison. And I mean, is it really such a bad thing? Like, I’m just as surprised as anyone else? Why now? Why at all? But Overwatch did a lot of good. They saved the world! Maybe they can do it again.”

Is it really such a bad thing?

The immediate answer is yes. Overwatch was shut down for a reason, and a very good one. The agency was out of control. Yes they once saved the world from the Omnic crisis, but it grew too big, too bold. It couldn’t contain itself. They started helping those in need, who wanted help. Then they started helping those in need regardless. Then they started helping those they deemed in need. Australia was a good example of Overwatch overstepping their bounds, making the situation there worse than it was. Would the uprising in London have been as bad if Overwatch had stayed out of it?

Satya swallows, flames in her mind again. Angry protesters, yelling and waving signs. Houses, if they could be called that, burning up in the warm night air. A child, her face ruined, marred by the chaos.

Is it really such a bad thing? Yes, yes it is.

“The problem with Overwatch,” A man began, and she realized it was one of President Hasan’s aides. “Is that Overwatch saved the world yes, but then they took it upon themselves to save at their own discretion. They became too emboldened with the power they had, thought themselves above the law, above anyone. They established covert ops to infiltrate and spy on the very governments they were there to protect. They became the right, and everyone else became the wrong. They had to be disbanded for the good of peace and world order.”

Is it really such a bad thing?

Maybe. Just maye….

Maybe it isn’t.

The realization nearly floors Satya, and she grips the edge of the table for a moment, trying to comprehend this unfathomable thought. Long before the Petras Act was put into effect did she think Overwatch needed to be disbanded. Australia, London, and a dozen other incidents inbetween. Overwatch overreaches, read so many headlines back then. 

But maybe, maybe they were right. They’re measures might be extreme, but sometimes extreme measures must be taken for order and purpose. Sometimes (and she constantly has to tell herself this, to believe it) you have to burn the village to rebuild it. 

Overwatch saved the world when no one else could. Who knew what it was about those people but perhaps they saw something that others didn’t. Perhaps they saw a new way to peace missed by most. Satya could understand that. She always found order where others were left in confusion. Maybe, just maybe, where she could see order, they could see peace.

If they could see peace, if they could see a way nobody else could, and that meant doing unthinkable things, maybe it wasn’t so bad.

She feels nauseous and she hasn’t felt this way since Rio. This feeling that the ceiling is collapsing in on her and she can’t find a way out. She can’t control this feeling, she can’t control this situation and its spiraling quickly.

Why is she here?

“Overwatch is dangerous and its members should be locked up in maximum security prisons for the rest of their miserable lives!”

Satya glances up from the grain patterns of the table, realizing she’d tuned out and missed a portion of the discussion. The board members faces are grim or angry, and the man who had just spoken had pounded his fist on the table. It echoes with a dull thud through the holo projection. Director Vishkar has remained silent thus far, hands folded in front of his face, eyes thoughtful as he listened to those around him argue. 

“All due respect, but Overwatch is no more dangerous than any organization out there. Probably even less so these days, considering it’s been out of commission, and its members dead or scattered. I daresay Vishkar is more dangerous than them.” Once again all eyes turn toward Amanda, and more than one audible gasp is heard. 

Those words are treasonous. They’re dangerous. Satya has rarely heard anyone speak so freely and irreverently. Is this… a spark of admiration? How foolish. 

The Director finally clears his throat once more, and the room turns back to him. Amanda sits reluctantly at a stern look. “I appreciate everyone’s opinion on the matter, and I assure you they will all be taken into consideration in deciding Vishkar’s stance on these interesting developments. At this time the news is still young, and there is still much to be learned. Keep your eyes and ears open for any and all information. We’ll be in touch. I’m sure this is not the last discussion we will have on this matter.”

No one appears to be satisfied with this outcome. There is no outcome to be satisfied about. The issue has been put on hold until more information can be gleaned. Satya’s had many projects put on hold for similar reasons, and understands how deeply frustrating it is. However this is nothing to be done at this moment, and she agrees with Mr. Vishkar. They need more. 

Arguably to fall in line with the law, they should agree with the Petras Act which would be the orderly thing to do. Sata wants very much for that to be the right answer. It’s simple, direct, clean, and neat. For the world to maintain order, they must follow the rules set for them. She’s lived her whole life by this creed.

But she can’t help but wonder, if there’s more to this, more to Overwatch than what they see on the surface and in the media. When she was young, her family had had to move very suddenly without warning. It turned Satya’s entire world upside down. She could barely cope, without having any of her usual comforts, despite how poor they had been. She no longer had a room of her own to retreat to when the world became a little too much. She had no privacy for herself or her designs. 

Her father had told her then that “sometimes before you can have peace you must have strife.” She hated it, and for a long time she had hated him for making her believe that everything she suffered through had been for the greater good. She recalls his wisdom often these days and wonders if he might have been right all along. Maybe not about that particular situation. She still believes to this day that her time in that shared house did little for her own personal advancement or growth, but maybe the words still hold a real meaning. 

The meeting begins to disband, holo projections disappear, and the few people who were there gather up their stuff talking quietly amongst themselves.

“Sanjay, Satya, please stay. I’d like to discuss a new project in development with you.” The Director offers her a kind smile and she relaxes. This is why she’s here. There’s a new project to be worked on, and it must have been easier to call her here for this meeting than try to arrange one later.

Still, she thinks, it is odd that she should be present for something as important and groundreaking as this.

As the room empties, a blissful silence falls over it. Satya takes a moment to bask in it, closing her eyes and letting it surround her. She watches hard light designs spin through her mind, spreading that now growing sense of relief. Her fingers itch for a pencil and paper. 

“You were rather quiet, Satya.” Director Vishkar speaks eventually, bringing her back to the moment. She feels much more at ease now.

“It was not my place to input my opinion.”

Sanjay’s smile is knowing, as if that is exactly the answer he expected out of her. Mr. Viskar chuckles. “Come now, I wouldn’t have invited you had I not wanted your input. You are a valuable member of this team after all.”

The uncertainty begins to return, but she tries to push it down. She is valuable yes, of that she has absolutely no doubt, but she is an architech, a field agent. She doesn’t make the executive decisions, she executes them. 

“What do you think of the situation, Satya?” Sanjay asks, encouraging her with an easy expression. 

“I think…” She hesitates. It’s not often that Satya is unsure of her thoughts on a matter. Usually they are very clear cut. But this one is muddy, diluted. She doesn’t like it. “I think that you are correct, Director, in that we do not know enough. Overwatch was ended for a reason, a very good reason. Yet it also stands to reason that something needs to be done about the state of the world, teetering on the edge of chaos and no one has stepped up to fill that role. Perhaps,” she purses her lips as Sanjay’s words in Rio echo through her mind, as do her father’s. “Perhaps Overwatch is a necessary evil.”

Sanjay and the Director share a look that she doesn’t understand. She’s never been good at reading people’s expressions or body language and she learned long ago not to let it bother her. She’s also sure that this look has some meaning that is beyond her, and she folds her hands on the table to keep from tracing hard light designs against the wood. 

“I quite agree.” Mr. Vishkar says. “There is so much more that we must know before any real decision can be made. And that, Satya Vaswani, is where you come in.”

She doesn’t mask the look of shock on her face. Part of her job has always been intel gathering, but this was on a whole other level. This was government level, and is something they would usually gain from connections inside the president’s staff. 

“I am honoured that you have thought of me, but I believe this may be beyond my station.”

“Nonsense.” Sanjay’s response is quick, and not as sharp as one might expect. Sanjay is hardly ever sharp. He’s smooth like glass, though not nearly as translucent. “Satya, you are the best Architech Vishkar has to offer, and that makes you perfect for this job. Not only are you capable, but I know you have a good heart. You take our mission at Vishkar more seriously than most people I’ve known. You truly want to save the world, and that makes you a perfect fit for Overwatch.”

His praise fills her with that familiar purpose she grasps onto. She is here to save the world, to make it so no other child has to live like she did, to better humanity through order. That is who she is, and Sanjay has always seen that in her. He’s always given her opportunities to grow and flourish, and guided her along the way. 

That’s why it takes a moment for the last sentence to catch up with her. “I’m sorry, I do not follow.” She frowns at the implication of his words. 

The Director leans forward. “We need information. And unfortunately Overwatch is not just another corporation out to make a profit like we’re used to. Once it was the haven for every expert in any field. At one point, I considered partnering with Overwatch before things began to fall apart. Imagine a hard light manipulation department in the greatest force for good in the world. We wouldn’t need contractors, people would be begging us to rebuilt their cities. And you, Satya, would have been an excellent leader of such a department.”

She would have. She can see it in her mind, feel it in her soul. She has always been meant for greatness, this was never a question. The idea of the things she could have accomplished as an Architech in Overwatch is almost overwhelming. No one would have needed to die in Rio. 

“Those times have passed, I’m afraid, but maybe there is still a chance. Overwatch is not the force it once was, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be. Of course, only if they turn out not to be just barely above a terrorist organization such as Talon. Our analysts indicate that a sort of Overwatch recall has been initiated to all former members, and reports indicate that they are recruiting. 

“Become a member of this new Overwatch. Find out what they are about, what their mission is, their drive, their intentions. Are they the force for good they always claimed to be, or are they just on a power trip trying to control the world for their own purposes. Learn about their methods, their members, their goals. With an inside ear we can be either the stepping stone Overwatch needs to reenter the world stage, or the force behind stopping it once and for all.”

They want her to infiltrate Overwatch. Satya is no expert on nuance, but she is not an idiot. Mr. Vishkar phrased it in a grandiose way that spoke to her desire to better the world, but in the end it was about intelligence gathering, no matter the outcome. She knows that, has to be aware of it. She also reminds herself that none of what he said is untrue. This might be intelligence gathering, but it could lead to these outcomes. 

It’s almost too good to be true, an opportunity at a long dead childhood dream. Her better senses warned caution, but she cannot ignore the possibilities. The potential results far outweighed any of the risks that came with it. Satya would be lying if she said she wasn’t eager to accept this responsibility.

“I understand.” she says, face remaining neutral. “I will join Overwatch and attempt to learn what I can of their motives and operations so that we may be better informed of how to proceed.”

The two men share a look again, but this time Satya doesn’t care. Her mind is going over and over the possibilities that this new opportunity may present her with. Even a fraction of childish glee, as the dreams her adolescent self aspired toward become something of a reality. 

Could it really be such a bad thing

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where this is going to go precisely since it's gotten away from my original goal of Lucio/Symmetra friendship, but thanks for sticking with me. It's probably going to be a monster of plot and character development. Feedback is always appreciated!


End file.
